Proofread by Claire.KK
The housekeeper saw their expressions. “Young lady, are you afraid of me cheating you? My master is Lord Liu in this town. Every passerby knows his name and my name is Liu as well. You can call me Housekeeper Liu. If you still worry about it, we can go to the government office to make a record. Should any accident happen to you when you’re in our house, we’ll take the full responsibility.”
Ye Xiaoxian replied in a regret tone, “I didn’t mean this. I’m just worried that…what if your young lady doesn’t like what I cook?”
…“You won’t know it until you try, will you? Even if she ends up not eating what you cook, our master will pay you with a reimbursement fee which is one tael of silver.”
One tael of silver was a thousand copper coins, amounting to five hundred bowls of cold jelly they sell. For the sake of money, Ye Xiaoxian nodded right away.
Ye Xiaoxian didn’t go to the government office to make a record. Following her gut instinct, she somehow could tell that the Housekeeper Liu wouldn’t cheat her.
She followed Housekeeper Liu to walk through several streets and they soon reached a big house which were built with black tiles and bricks with two little stone lions in front of the gate.
In this era, a “lord” is a landlord or landowner. They are not officials but even richer than the county magistrate. A lord has fields and farmlands and one can also take part in discussing the county affairs. They are considered as high-class people in local area.
That was why Lord Liu could afford paying her one tael of silver.
When they entered the big house and walked across a courtyard and a passage, they reached a small courtyard.
The courtyard was quiet and elegant. There were many precious flowers and plants in it. It was summer now so all the rooms in the courtyard were open. There were three or four servant girls busy around.
Ye Xiaoxian stared at this delicate courtyard and an idea popped up in her mind. ‘If only I could have such a small courtyard and then Xiao Baoshan and I…’
Puke, stop imagining and this kind of thing won’t happen.
Still, to own such a courtyard could be her top ambition in this era. No matter in which dynasty, owning a house is always a household pleasure for common people.
“Young Mrs. Xiao, Milady lives in the one of the middle. This way please and Auntie Wong will show you the way.” Housekeeper Liu showed Ye Xiaoxian the way.
In ancient times it was strict that males and females should keep certain distance. In this case Housekeeper Liu could not enter a lady’s boudoir, so Ye Xiaoxian was led by a forty-something-year-old nanny into the room.
This room was decorated very antique which was spacious with mahogany furniture fitted in the room. Deep inside was a girl half lying in bed reading.
“Milady, Housekeeper Liu brought the cook who made the cold jelly,” said Auntie Wong reverently.
Miss Liu then put down her book lazily, turned around to Ye Xiaoxian listlessly, and said, “It turns out to be a young girl?”
“Yes, the flatbread you had for lunch is also made by her,” said Auntie Wong.
Miss Liu looked like fifteen or sixteen years old. Being sallow and skinny, her height was about five feet three inches. She weighed at most eighty something pounds. The blue veins on her hands were visible and she looked rather horrible.
“You made all the cold jelly and flatbread?” asked Miss Liu feebly. As she was born with a silver spoon, she gave out an air of pride.
“Yes, I made them,” replied Ye Xiaoxian, “May I ask what kind of food Milady might like and I will cook them for Milady.”
Ye Xiaoxian imitated the tone that characters in TV series about ancient time might sound.
Miss Liu glanced at Ye Xiaoxian. “Don’t ask me. If I know what I feel like, what do I need you to cook for? Just do it in your way and serve them to me when they are ready.”
Maybe the young lady had been starving for too long and she looked very shorted-tempered and touchy.
Seeing this Auntie Wong hurried to show Ye Xiaoxian out and let her ladyship take a rest.
After they left the room, Housekeeper Wong took over Ye Xiaoxian again.
Ye Xiaoxian stopped Housekeeper Liu and asked him, “Housekeeper Liu, your young lady is really thin. Have you not asked doctors to come over to diagnose her? If it’s a health problem, maybe you should get your young lady treated.”